Common Skin Conditions Diagnosed by Cat Dermatologists
- Dr Simon Want BVM&S CertVD MRCVS RCVS
- Mar 17
- 8 min read
If you are reading this article the most likely reason is that you own a cat and it has skin disease. It may be you are reading this on behalf of someone else, or you are just curious about skin conditions in cats.
Whatever your reason for choosing to read about common skin conditions diagnosed by cat dermatologists, we hope this article answers some of the more common questions in relation to cat skin conditions and that you find it both accessible as well as informative.
In this article we’ll discuss:
What Are The Most Frequent Feline Dermatological Issues Seen By Specialists?
The most frequently encountered skin conditions that vet dermatologists see in cats are:
Allergic skin disease - the most common reason to see a dermatologist
Flea allergy
Feline atopic skin syndrome (environmental allergies)
Cutaneous adverse food reaction (food allergy)
Parasites
Demodicosis (Demodex cati & Demodex gatoi)
Autoimmune skin diseases - Pemphigus foliaceous, which is rare
Viral skin diseases
Cowpox virus
Herpes virus
Calici virus
Bowenoid in situ carcinoma (associated with papilloma virus)
Your vet will be able to help treat some of the skin conditions that cats experience, but they may refer you to a dermatologist if your pet needs specialist care.
Other common conditions that usually get dealt with before seeing a dermatologist:
Parasites
Fleas are very common
Ear mites (Otodectic mange)
Cheyletielosis (Cheyletiella mites)
Pediculosis (lice infestation)
Fungal infections
Dermatophytosis (aka Ringworm)
Common Reasons For Cats To Visit A Veterinary Dermatologist
If your cat has a skin condition you may notice certain behavioural signs. If you commonly see your cat presenting these symptoms you should speak to your vet or contact a vet dermatologist.
Common presenting symptoms in cats:
Scratching
Overgrooming or licking which can lead to hair loss - often with allergies
Hair loss without overgrooming
Crusted spots on the skin
Raised skin plaques
Lip ulcers
Disorders affecting the nails
Ulcers affecting the skin
Paw pad problems
General Veterinarian Vs. Advanced Veterinary Dermatologist For Cat Skin Issues
An ‘Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Dermatology’ is someone who has advanced training in cat skin conditions and has passed Masters level exams to prove their competence. They must also stay up to date with their learning and keep current.
At Advanced Veterinary Dermatology our work only involves treating dog and cat skin conditions. This is compared to general veterinarians who deal with all aspects of disease in dogs and cats but may not have the additional expertise required to diagnose and manage more complex cases.
Find out more about the differences between vets and dermatologists.
Testing for Skin Conditions in Cats
At your first consultation for your cat experiencing a skin condition, your veterinarian will carry out initial tests. They will check for parasitic disease by collecting coat brushings, skin scraping and examining hair. Usually these samples are looked at under a microscope during your appointment.
The vet dermatologist may also check the skin or ears for secondary infections, again samples are collected and looked at under the microscope. A blood sample from your pet may be taken and sent for testing at a laboratory.
If your vet suspects your cat has a fungal condition, they will:
Check your cat for ringworm and perform fungal testing which is sent to a laboratory
Carry out a wood’s lamp test as some fungi fluoresce under UV light
Check for fungal culture
Additional Testing For Cat Skin Conditions
Your vet dermatologist may also carry out more tests to investigate skin conditions in cats:
Flea treatment trial - to check for flea allergy - there is NOT a good single test so we must rule this in or out by treating your cat and see if things improve
Treat all cats and dogs in the house with a good quality flea control preparation
Treating the house +/- the cars with household flea control (MUST NEVER be sprayed onto animals as it can be fatal)
Elimination diet trial
There are NO good and reliable tests for food allergy
We must feed a special diet to a cat with suspected allergic skin disease for 8 weeks and if things improve we must ‘challenge’ the improvement with the old food i.e. does the cat get worse?
Allergy testing - usually a blood test - approximately 15% of cats will give a NEGATIVE test even if they have atopy
To check for potential causes of allergy that could be found in the cat’s indoor and outdoor environment
Checks pollens to trees, grasses, weeds and crops
Checks house dust mites in the home and storage mites in food
Checks fungal exposure
Checks reactions to other animal skin
BUT can get false positives and negatives so we MUST make the diagnosis of ATOPIC SKIN SYNDROME by ruling out everything else first
Treatments for Common Skin Conditions Seen in Cats
Treatment for your cat’s skin condition will depend on the cause. Some treatments for common skin conditions in cats, include:
Parasites including fleas, lice and ear mites require good quality flea control preparations from your vet
Dermatophytosis - a.k.a Ringworm require itraconazole liquid by mouth and topical lotions or creams
Food allergy requires a special diet as some foods may not contain certain proteins;
Common food allergies in cats are beef, chicken, fish, dairy products
A hydrolysed diet will be specifically designed for food allergic cats and involves making the proteins too small to cause a reaction in the gut
Feline atopic skin syndrome (environmental allergies) may require;
Immunotherapy vaccines - made after allergy blood tests
Corticosteroids (steroids) - good for short term use or cats who only get problems for a few months per year - e.g. Seasonal pollen allergy
Ciclosporin - a common anti-allergy drug with good success and less side effects than steroids
Antihistamines - small and limited effects in cats but safe
Essential fatty acids - Omega-3 & omega-6 - Helps the skin
Alliamides - Palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) - decreases skin inflammation and nerve sensitization
Why Does My Cat's Skin Condition Keep Returning After Treatment?
Some skin conditions in cats require lifelong treatment or they will recur. This is especially true of skin allergies and there are a number of common flare factors.
If your cat has a flea allergy all animals in the house will need longterm, regular flea control and you must use it according to the manufacturers’ guideline and/or the instructions of your vet. Your home may need regular preventative treatment too. Failure to keep up with both of these may allow your cat to be bitten by fleas and for its skin to then react again causing overgrooming and scratching.
When your cat has a food allergy, eating something that contains ingredients they are allergic to, may mean your cat starts to scratch or overgroom.
With atopic skin syndrome, it is impossible to avoid pollen or house dust mites if your cat is allergic to them. So, your cat will take lifelong medication to control its symptoms.
How to Prevent Common Skin Conditions in Cats
To help prevent your cat from getting common skin conditions you can regularly check your cat's skin and coat. If your cat is a long coated breed, regular grooming and removing knots in the fur is important.
Fleas and flea allergy are the most common skin conditions in cats. So, maintaining regular flea control of all animals in the house is really important. Fleas and flea allergy are the most common skin conditions in cats.
You should also see your vet every year for a routine check up and stay up to date with routine vaccination.
How a Veterinary Dermatologist Can Help
The main symptoms of skin disease in cats relate to scratching the face and neck, overgrooming the body or legs leading to alopecia and red skin reactions. We may see raised plaques or lip ulcers, crusted spots on the back and ear disease.
Less commonly we may see crusts and dandruff or ulcers and lumps.
If they do not resolve after routine treatment, your general veterinarian is struggling to make a diagnosis or the problem is recurrent then it may be time to seek the services of a veterinary dermatologist.
At Advanced Veterinary Dermatology we specialise in diagnosing and managing complex cases of skin disease in cats.
To make an enquiry or seek an appointment contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cat Skin Conditions
Why Does My Cat Keep Scratching Even After A Negative Flea Test?
If your cat is scratching or losing its hair due to overgrooming then this is a sign that it is itchy. It is very important to rule out fleas. They may be visible on your cat, especially under the fur. Sometimes they can be hard to see, especially if your cat is licking a lot.
A ‘flea test’ often involves wetting some cotton wool and dabbing the ‘black dirt’ in the coat. If it stains red then it is ‘flea dirt’. At this point you want to treat your cat with a good quality flea medication, usually from your vet. You will also want to treat your home with a spray that can kill adult fleas and stop the eggs and larvae developing into adult fleas. If you have done this and your cat is still scratching you need to see your vet.
Commonest causes of scratching and overgrooming are allergic skin disease, parasites or fungal infections. If your cat is getting recurrent skin disease it may be time to seek the opinion of a veterinary dermatologist.
At Advanced Veterinary Dermatology we are used to dealing with skin conditions in cats and can help achieve a definitive diagnosis and help with a long-term, tailored treatment plan.
Can Feline Fungal Skin Conditions Like Ringworm Be Transmitted To Humans?
Fungal infections due to ringworm fungi, called dermatophytes, CAN pass onto humans. This is more common with long-haired cats and children may also be more susceptible. Your cat and any in-contact animals will need treatment.
If you or a person in the house catches ringworm then seek medical advice. Often a cream will help resolve the infection. If your cat is diagnosed with ringworm and you get a rash tell your GP about it.
What Should A Cat Owner Expect During An Initial Dermatology Consultation?
During an initial consultation with Advanced Veterinary Dermatology for your cat’s skin condition you can expect:
A detailed history - the consult often last 1-2 hours and we start with a conversation
A full physical health check followed by a more detailed skin examination
Routine tests involving sample taking to look at under the microscope
A Wood’s lamp exam using a UV light to check for ringworm
Collection of hair for microscopic exam and possibly fungal culture
Blood tests as symptoms may be related to internal disease or allergy testing
Further tests may involve treatment to check for flea allergy and an elimination diet trial that may last up to 8 weeks. Skin biopsies may be needed if we suspect a non-allergic cause e.g. Autoimmune diseases
After an initial assessment and routine tests, if we have yet to make a definitive diagnosis, then additional testing will be discussed alongside costs. A plan will be made and agreed whereupon you and your cat may be booked in for additional diagnostics or treatment.
How Do Cat Dermatologists Perform Allergy Testing and Skin Biopsies?
Allergy testing in cats first rules out all other causes of scratching and overgrooming, your vet or dermatologist will conduct a flea trial and elimination diet trial. Then a blood test will look at indoor and outdoor causes of allergy
Skin biopsies are NOT used to diagnose allergies but are used with lots of other skin conditions including autoimmune diseases and skin cancers. To perform a skin biopsy your cat will need a general anaesthetic or deep sedation and small samples of skin are taken and sent to a specialist veterinary pathologist. Your cat will often need stitches to close the areas where the samples were taken.
Written and Approved by:
Dr Simon Want BVM&S CertVD MRCVS
RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Dermatology
Director of Advanced Veterinary Dermatology Ltd
Comments